Stop for sliding shelf



United States Patent i STOP FOR SLIDING SHELI41 Philip TuSywerf, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 9, 1953, Serial No. 390,878

Claims. (Cl. S12-348) My invention relates to sliding shelves, and more particularly to sliding shelf arrangements including provisions for limiting the sliding movement.

One of the most common instances of sliding shelf arrangements are those vertically spaced shelves ordinarily provided in household refrigerating apparatus. Sliding shelves are, of course, there needed in order to provide easy access to food stuffs stored in the rear portion of the refrigerated cabinet. But there is one danger inherent in these sliding shelves and that is that they be pulled so far forward that they slip or fall o their mountings. In order to guard against this danger it has become common practice to provide stops for limiting their forward movement, which stops are also releasable to allow removal of the shelves when such removal is actually desired. However, all the stops heretofore provided have been objectionable for one or more reasons. For example, some have been expensive to produce and incorporate in the refrigerator cabinet. Others have been hard or stili to release when a removal of the sliding shelf is necessary. And still others have been so located that they are extremely diflicult of access.

, Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a sliding shelf arrangement including improved means for limiting the sliding movement.

It is another object of my invention to provide within a refrigerator cabinet a sliding shelf arrangement having an improved stop for limiting the sliding movement, which stop is readily accessible from the front of the cabinet.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel sliding shelf arrangement in which an improved stop for limiting the sliding movement is incorporated in the shelf supports.

In carrying my invention into etect, I provide a cabinet having a rear wall, oppositely disposed side walls, and a forward access opening. Within this cabinet a sliding shelf is mounted on supports which are themselves aliixed to the side Walls near the front edges thereof. At least one of these supports includes a vertically extending passageway and mounted within this passageway is a novel stop member which includes at least one laterally extending stop projection. The stop member may be moved between upper and lower positions within the passageway, and the stop projection is so formed that it engages the shelf in one of these positions. This engagement of the stop projection with the shelf then prevents outward movement of the shelf beyond a predetermined point. However, when it is desired to completely withdraw the shelf, the stop projection may simply and easily be released from engagement with the shelf merely by moving the stop member to its other position within the passageway. Since the stop member is mounted in a support near the front of the cabinet, it is readily accessible for such operation.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention, however, both as to its 2,741,525 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 ICC 2 organization and method of operation, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the lower portion of a refrigerator cabinet including a sliding shelf arrangement embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the supports illustrating the relationship between the stop member and the sliding shelf; and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

YReferring now to Fig. 1, I have illustrated therein the lower portion of a refrigerator cabinet including an outer metal wall 1 and an inner metal wall or liner 2, the space between the walls being filled with a suitable heat-insulating material 3. The walls are formed to provide a door opening 4 at the front of the cabinet, and the space between the walls in the area of the door frame is closed by a breaker strip 5 of suitable heat-insulating material. The liner 2 forms the food storage compartment of the cabinet and is shaped to provide a rear wall 6 and oppositely disposed side walls 7 and 8. The front of the compartment is closed by a suitable door 9.

A removable shelf 10 is-slidably supported within the food storage compartment by a plurality of supports or brackets 11, 12, 13, and 14, which are mounted on the oppositely disposed side walls 7 and 8 toward the front portion thereof. As will be explained hereinafter, a new and improved stop means for the shelf is mounted in the forward of these brackets 13 and 14. The shelf itself includes a rectangular frame 15 having a front portion 16, a rear portion 17 and side portions 1S and 19; and in the embodiment shown, the rear and side portions are all formed of a unitary channel shaped member. In order to provide a supporting surface for food stored on the shelf, a plurality of wires 20 are provided extending between the front portion 16 and the rear portion 17 of the frame, the wires being secured to the frame in any suitable manner. A strip 21 extends transversely of the shelf in the center portion thereof for strengthening purposes.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 the features of my new and improved stop means will be explained in greater detail. As may there be seen, the forward supports 13 and 14 are respectively identical other than facing in opposite directions and for that reason the similar portions thereof will be numbered identically hereinafter. Moreover the corresponding parts of the shelf frame portions 18 and 19 will be numbered identically.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated each of the shelf supports 13 and 14 includes an upper outwardly extending rail portion 22 and a lower outwardly extending rail portion 23. The sliding shelf 10 may be mounted on either of these rail portions, but is here shown as mounted on the upper rails 22. Specifically, the shelf side portions consist of a vertical body portion 24 and upper and lower inwardly extending flanges 25 and 26, and it is the lower of these anges 26 which actually rests on the support rails. set of rails to the other, it is merely withdrawn completely from the cabinet and then replaced therein on the other set of rails. It should, of course, be understood that if vertical adjustment of the shelf is not desired, sup` ports embodying my invention may be provided with.

only one rail portion.

The shelf supports themselves are firmly alhxed to the inner liner 2 by means of a plurality of rivets 27 and 28. These rivets pass through suitable apertures provided in the support and are respectively secured in place by means of clamps 29 and 29a positioned on the outer side of the inner liner.

In order to move the shelf from one- "In accordance with'myinvention the forward supports 13 and T4 "also "seri/"e "as `a 'nieais pfor mounting 'a stop means as well as mounting the shelves themselves. Thus each of the supports is .provided with a vertically extending channel which reaches from the bottom to the top*thereo'f. AMounted within this channel is a stop member 31. The'it between the stop member and the passageway is however relatively loose so that the stop member maybe slid up and down therein. Apertures 32 rand v33 are provided within the stop member to allow clearance for this movement relative to the mounting pins 27 Vand 28. An outwardly extending grip portion `34 is provided at the lower end of the stop member to facilitate this movement.

At its upper end and at a point near its-middle the stop member is provided respectively with llaterally extending stop .portions or .projections 35 and V36. When the stop member vis in its lowermost position, as indicatedon the left-handside of Fig 3, the stop :projection 35 rests withmovement of this Vvmiddle :projection 36.

As may be seen in the right-hand portion of Fig. 3, i. c.

in the support -1'4`por'tion of `Fig. 3, when the stop member is raised to its upper position, both s'top vprojections 35 and 36 clear their respective recesses 37 and 38. In this'upper holding position they thus `present obstruction -to anything moving either across the top of the support vmember or else across the top "of the surface in which recess 38 is cut. The stop member is automatically yheld in this upper position by means of a protuberance 40 formed thereon which lits into a depression '41 cut in 'the support member. This protube'rance 40 automatically springs into the depression 41 whenever the stop member is movedl to its upper position. A downwardly extending shallo'wer extension 42 of the depression 41, however, allows downward movement of the protu'b'erance 40 to permit a manual displacement of the stop membe'r to the lower position.

When in its upper or holding position the stop meinber 31 enectively prevents l'rr'lov'e'r'n'cnt of the shelf beyond a certain predetermined point. Spec'iiically, the upper anges 2 5 of the shelf sides are provided with depe'ridirigy knobs or buttons 43 which :contact orengage the stop projections as shown on 'th' side of Fig. 3. This engagement 'of the buttons 42 with the stop projections prevents any further eurwsrd movement ef ure sheif. specifically, when the shelf lis slippte'd on upper rails 22, the buttons 42 engage the upper stop projections '25, but as 'shown b'y the dotted lines in Fig. 3 this saine 'stop action will occur when the shelf is supported by Athc lower rails 23 as well as when Tit is supported by the upper 'rails 22. lf the shelf is resting on the lower rails, the buttons 42 will engage the y'stop projections -36 in 'the same marmer as it engages the projections 35 when resting on the upper rails. In other words, no matter whether vthe shelf rests in its upper or lower position, its outward movement will still be terminated at the same point. The buttons 42 may of course be afiixed to the shelf at any spot along the shelf sides whereby the outward 'movement of the shelf will be reanimeren before the disengagement of the rear portion of the shelf from the back supports 11 and Y12.

If, however, it desired toi-niov the shelf completely from th rails, 'all that need be done is vto move `the stop members to their lower positions wherein the stop projections enter their respective recesses. When this is done no further opposition 'is odered to the movement of `shelf 10, and it may be pulled completely out of the cabinet. This complete removal is, of course, necessary in order tochange the 'shelf Afrom its upper to its lower position or vice versa, and may also be desirable in order to facilitate cleaning of the entire shelf.

In summation, it may be seen that through my invenrangement wherein the stop members are readily accessible from the front of the cabinet. Due to their mounting in the front support members they may be easily reached and adjusted whenever it is desired to remove the shelf from the compartmentorto change it from one position to the other. Moreover, since according to my invention the saine stop member serves `to limit the movement 'of the shelf no matter whether it is in the Vupperig'irv the lower-position/and since no separate mounting means are required, this shelving arrangement is extremely -inexpensive'to prodce andassemble.

In accordance with thepatent statutes I have described what at present is considered 'to be the preferred embodiment of my invention. However, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modiiicavtions may be made therein Without departing from Illy-invention, and-I, therefore, aim in the'appended'claims to cover all such changes andmodiications as fall within the 'true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-of the United States is:

l. VIn a cabinet Ahaving `a rear wall and oppositely disposed Vside walls, a shelving arrangement comprising a shelf, supports mounted on said side walls near the Vfront edges thereof` for -slidably supporting said sh'e1f,`at least one of said supports including a vertically extending fpassageway, land a stop member slidably mounted in said passageway for movement therein between upper and lower positions, said vstop member including atleast one laterally extending stop portion adapted to enga-ge -said shelf in one of :said positions, thereby to prevent outlllal'd movement of said Vsheld:` beyond a predetermined limit.

2; in a `cabinet having a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls, a shelving arrangement comprising 'a shelf, `supports mounted on said side Walls near the front edges thereof for slidably supporting said shelf alternatively in one 'of a plurality of vertically spaced posil tions, at least one of said supports including a vertically extending passageway, and a stop member slidably mount-v ed in said passageway for vertical movem'ent therein between holding and non-holding positions and including a plurality 'of laterally extending stop portions, with ach of said stop portions being adapted to engage said shelf in a 'different one of said vertically spaced positions thereof upon movement of said stop member to said holding 'position, thereby to 'prevent outward movement 'of said shelf in any of said yertically spaced positions thereof beyond a predetermined point; Y

3. "In a cabinet having a rear wall and opp'ositely dis posed side walls, a shelving arrangement comprising a shelf, supports morinte'd en said side walls near the from edges thereof for slidably 'supporting said shelf alternatively in -'one of a pair of vertically spaced positions; said supports including vertically extending recesses, and 'stop rrieriibers slidably nieiirifed in said recesses for m'vment therein beba/'een upper and lower positions, each of saidstop 'reriibers' including a pair of laterally kextending stop portions, with each of said stop portions being adapted to engage said shelf iii a different one of said vertically spaced positions thereof upon movement of said s't'p riinlbei' te said upper position, thereby "to lpreve'ii't 'ot'l ward movement of said shelf in ,either of the psitio's thereof beyond predetermined Y r '1 y it. l,In cabinet having a rear wall and oppositel'y fidis'l posed side walls, a shelving arrangement comprising Y shelf, siipp'or'ts mounted on said side walls vnear'the fro t edges thereof for slidably supporting said shelLFt t'` one of said supports inc-hiding a vertically xtedin p sageway, a stop member sli'dabl'yA mounted in p'assageway for movement therein between upper and positions, said stop member including at leastqone laterally. extending stop portion adapted to engage said shelf in one of said positions, thereby to prevent outward movement of said shelf beyond a predetermined limit, and means for releasably retaining said stop member in said one position upon movement thereto.

5. In a cabinet having a rear wall and oppositely disposed side Walls, a shelving arrangement comprising a shelf, supports mounted on said side walls near the front edges thereof for slidably supporting said shelf alternatively in one of a plurality of vertically spaced positions, at least one of said supports including a vertically extending passageway, a stop member slidably mounted in said passageway for vertical movement therein between holding and nonholding positions and including a plurality of laterally extending stop portions, with each of said stop portions being adapted to engage said shelf in a different one of said vertically spaced positions thereof upon movement of said stop member to said holding position, thereby to prevent outward movement of said shelf in any of said vertically spaced positions thereof beyond a predetermined point, and means for releasably retaining said stop member iu said holding position upon movement thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 2,285,701 Olive et al. June 9, 1942 2,291,547 Giiard July 28, 1942 2,294,749 Harbison Sept. l, 1942 

